Sorry, Chicago. Yelp ranks top 100 pizza spots in Midwest and the Windy City might get mad

Business Amaris Encinas 22/08/2024

Yelp has made finding the perfect slice a little easier, compiling a list of the top 100 pizza joints in the Midwest. Surprise: Chicago did not take the No. 1 spot.

This year’s rankings, released on Tuesday, including all styles of pizza, from Detroit-style squares to Chicago's famed deep-dish pies. Also, making the cut are fresh takes on Chicago’s tavern-style pizza and the classic St. Louis pizza, which has a thin crust almost like a cracker, according to Kathy Passero, who helped research and compile Yelp’s Top 100.

“The Midwest has long been an essential slice of pizza tradition in the U.S., giving rise to many iconic styles of the beloved dish," Tara Lewis, a trend expert at Yelp, said in a statement. "No matter your preferences, there's something for every pizza lover on this list."

To come up with the rankings, Yelp considered pizza joints from across the region, including Iowa, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin.

Yelp then narrowed down the list by using a large concentration of reviews that included relevant keywords and ranked them using a number of factors, including the total volume and ratings of reviews mentioning those keywords.

So who edged out Chicago? Which state had the most restaurants on the list? See below to find out.

Yelp's Top 10 Midwest pizza joints

1. Loui's Pizza in Hazel Park, Michigan

  • Address: 23141 Dequindre Road
  • Fun fact: The family-owned restaurant has been serving up Detroit-style pizza for almost 50 years, according to Yelp.
  • With a ranking of 4.4, customers particularly love the barbecue pizza. One recent reviewer raved about the big portions ("I am a big guy and only finished half") and pointed out that he really "loved the corners with the crunchy texture."

2. Futuro in Indianapolis, Indiana

  • Address: 19 Cruse St.
  • Fun fact: Chef Luke Tobias and wife Sarah St. Aubin turned a COVID-19 pizza-making hobby into a fulltime career, opening Futuro a year after they began to make pizzas customers could order online and pick up from their porch.

3. Pequod's Pizza in Chicago, Illinois

  • Address: 2207 N. Clybourn Ave.
  • Fun fact: Jay Esper, manager at Pequod's Pizza, describes the pizza made at the restaurant as a cross between "deep-dish and Detroit-style." And what makes it unique is its "soft, fluffy middle combined with the crunchy crust and caramelized cheese edge," Esper shared with Yelp.

4. Tyler’s Pizzeria & Bakery in Reynoldsburg, Ohio

  • Address: 7516 E. Main St.
  • Kelsey Tyler, a Tyler’s Pizzeria & Bakery employee, told Yelp that her family fell into the pizza-making business by accident after a permit issue. The family-run shop has been open for 13 years, working every day to make the wood-fired, handcrafted and sourdough-crust pizza they are known for, according to Yelp.

5. Milly’s Pizza In The Pan in Chicago, Illinois

  • Address: 1005 W. Argyle St.
  • Fun fact: The reason why customers always get the "perfect crunchy crust" at Milly's is because they never pre-slice their pies, a practice that prevents sauce from dribbling into the dough, according to Yelp.

6. In Forno Pizza in Avon, Ohio

  • Address: 35840 Chester Road
  • Fun fact: The traditional East Coast–style Neapolitan pizzas are cooked in a wood-fired oven in approximately 90 seconds, Yelp says.

7. Pizzeoli Wood Fired Pizza in St. Louis, Missouri

  • Address: 1928 S. 12th St.
  • There are always enough pizza options at Pizzeoli, which has over 40 flavor combinations to choose from, according to Yelp. While their pies may be inspired by "Old World–style pizza," they "are richer, heartier, and more decadent" because they are a Midwest shop, general manager Josh Grisa told Yelp.

8. Brittany’s Brick Oven Pizza in Madison, Indiana

  • Address: 2034 Lanier Drive
  • Fun fact: Brittany’s makes "quirky pies" with unique ingredients like shrimp or hot ghost pepper flakes to make one-of-a-kind slices, according to Yelp. The flavor combinations have put the "mom-and-pop shop on the pizza map," Yelp says.

9. Dough Daddy’s Pizza in Westmont, Illinois

  • Address: 649 N. Cass Ave.
  • Fun fact: Best friends Ray Schwitz and Matt Rowley run operations at Dough Daddy's, making handcrafted thin-crust pizzas topped with made-from-scratch ingredients, according to Yelp.

10. Tasty Pizza in Omaha, Nebraska

  • Address: 1418 S. 60th St.
  • Fun fact: Owner Mary Joseph was originally selling pastries before realizing she preferred savory over sweet, according to Yelp. What hasn't changed, according to Yelp, is the emphasis on homemade taste.

See where the other 90 Midwest spots rank below

11. Santino’s Little Italy in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

12. Zazas Pizzeria in Chicago, Illinois

13. Il Rione in Cleveland, Ohio

14. Pie Sci in Detroit, Michigan

15. Iechyd Da Brewing Company, Elkhart, Indiana

16. Providence by the Slice, Kansas City, Missouri

17. Il Gusto Pizza & Pasta, Cincinnati, Ohio

18. Market 22 in Maple City, Michigan

19. Pangea Kitchen in Evansville, Indiana

20. Noto in St. Peters, Missouri

21. Orsi’s Italian Bakery & Pizzeria in Omaha, Nebraska

22. The Brick Oven Bistro in Sandusky, Ohio

23. Fredi The PizzaMan in Melvindale, Michigan

24. Brimfield Bread Oven in Kent, Ohio

25. Young Joni in Minneapolis, Minnesota

26. Ohio Pie Co. in Brunswick, Ohio

27. Mama’s Pizza in St. Paul, Minnesota

28. baked in Galesburg, Illinois

29. Fast Eddie’s Pizza in Bellville, Ohio

30. Forno Rosso Pizzeria Napoletana, Chicago, Illinois

31. Izzy’s Pizza Bus in Omaha, Nebraska

32. Freddy’s Pizza in Cicero, Illinois

33. Pomodoro E Mozzarella in St. Charles, Illinois

34. Crafters Pizza and Drafthouse in Carmel, Indiana

35. I Tre Mori, Indianapolis, Indiana

36. Press Pizza & Pasta in St. Louis, Missouri

37. Ozark Mountain Pizza in Branson, Missouri

38. Two Cities Pizza Company in Mason, Ohio

39. Boludo in Minneapolis, Minnesota

40. Gianorio’s Pizza in Winfield, Illinois

41. George’s Deep Dish in Chicago, Illinois

42. Uncle Leo’s Pizza in St. Louis, Missouri

43. The Filling Station Microbrewery in Traverse City, Michigan

44. Salvatore’s Tomato Pies in Madison, Wisconsin

45. Jim’s Pizza Box, Milan, Ohio

46. Independent Ale House, Rapid City, South Dakota

47. KJ’s Pizzeria, De Soto, Kansas

48. Branch + Daughter, Quality Meats and Market in Windsor, Wisconsin

49. Novanta in Madison, Wisconsin

50. Pizzeria DiLauro in Chagrin Falls, Ohio

51. Terita’s Pizza Carry Out in Columbus, Ohio 

52. Tawas Bay Pizza Co in Tawas City, Michigan

53. Magoo’s California Pizza – Avon in Avon, Indiana

54. DeSalvo’s Pizza in Evanston, Illinois

55. Major Tomato in Allen Park, Michigan

56. Pizza West in Shawnee, Kansas

57. Patellie’s in Three Oaks, Michigan

58. Nature’s Best Cafe in Naperville, Illinois

59. Cruizzers in Keystone, South Dakota

60. Passione in Fishers, Indiana

61. Sal’s Pizza Company in Algonquin, Illinois

62. Quarantino’s in Grand Rapids, Michigan

63. Dough Trader Pizza Company in Spearfish, South Dakota

64. Zoey’s Pizzeria in Marion, Iowa

65. Wells Brothers Restaurant in Racine, Wisconsin

66. Anthonino’s Taverna in St. Louis, Missouri

67. Pie Life Pizzeria in Glen Ellyn, Illinois

68. Silver Beach Pizza in St. Joseph, Michigan

69. Buddy’s Pizza in Detroit, Michigan

70. Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria in Schaumburg, Illinois

71. Il Lazzarone in St. Joseph, Missouri

72. Nonna’s Pizza & Pasta in Ankeny, Iowa

73. Elio Pizza on Fire in Addison, Illinois

74. Grandma Bob’s in Detroit, Michigan

75. Foggia’s Pizzeria in Southgate, Michigan

76. Charles and Reid Detroit Pizza in Traverse City, Michigan

77. Old Scratch Pizza in Dayton, Ohio

78. 112 Pizzeria Bistro in Rochester Hills, Michigan

79. Antoniou’s Towne Square Pizza in Rochester Hills, Michigan

80. Pizzeria Lola in Minneapolis, Minnesota

81. Pizzeria Da Gloria in St. Louis, Missouri

82. Brianno’s Deli-Italia in Eagan, Minnesota

83. Pals Brewing in North Platte, Nebraska

84. Blackbird Woodfire in Fargo, North Dakota

85. Fireflour Pizza + Coffee Bar in Bismarck, North Dakota

86. San Giorgio Pizzeria Napoletana in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

87. Element Wood Fire Pizza in Minneapolis, Minnesota

88. Dewey’s Pizza in St. Charles, Missouri

89. Tono Pizzeria + Cheesesteaks in Maplewood, Minnesota

90. Sfumato Pizzeria in Alton, Iowa

91. Maggie’s Farm Wood-Fired Pizza in Iowa City, Iowa

92. Mangia Italiana in Omaha, Nebraska

93. Basal Pizza in Waterloo, Iowa

94. Dolomiti Pizzeria & Enoteca in Omaha, Nebraska

95. Ang an Eddies in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin

96. Smash Pizza in Bettendorf, Iowa

97. Piatto Neapolitan Pizzeria in Wichita, Kansas

98. Need Pizza in Cedar Rapids, Iowa

99. Pauly’s Pizzeria & Sub in Rapid City, South Dakota

100. Big Mill in Lawrence, Kansas

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